Electric switch



Sept. 2, NM.l F. D. BRYANT ET AL 2,254,729?

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 2, 1938 Fig. 4.

Patented Sept., 2, 1941 ELECTRIC SWITCH Frank D. Bryant,v Stratford, andWilliam R. Young, FairiielcL' Conn., asslgnors to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Application July 2, 193s, serial No.217,196- c claims. (cl. zoo- 154) This invention relates to electricswitches, and

more particularly to electric switches employing rolling contacts.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved construction andr arrangement of switches of this type and one which is easily assembledand manufactured at low cost.

In th accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is` an elevational view of the switch;Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the switch housing showing the switchelements in operative position; Fig. 3 is a sectional view along theline 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the switch parts.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 9 desig- 'nates a switch housingformed with an inner recess III. The housing may be formed of insulatingmaterial such as a phenolic condensation product and ller. The bottom ofthe housing is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves II and I2.The grooves are arranged in pairs on material is secured to and dependsfrom the switch handle 23. 'I'he handle and arm are pivotally mountedupon a mounting collar 24 by means of a pin 25. The collar 24 is screwthreaded so that the switch may be mounted on a panel. In order tosupport the mounting collar' and associated switch handle upon theswitch housing,

` the mounting collar is provided with a 'ange 26 which engages thelower side of a plate 21 clamped on the top o f the housing. The plate21 is provided with arms 2li-disposed in slots 28' on each side iof thehousing and the arms are formed with prongs 29 which are bent around thebottom of the housing to clamp the plate 2l and thel collar 24 to thehousing structure.

- insulating plate 30 is clamped betwe'en the plate each side of acentral slot I3. The groove I2 ofeach pair is made deeper than thecorresponding groove II and receives a contact member I4.

According to the invention, the contact members I4 are substantiallyL-shaped and have agroovedV contact arm I5 and a depending terminal legI6. The contact arms I5 are located within the respective grooves I2while the terminal legs I6 -are inserted in vertically disposed slotsI'I and extend below the housing 'as shown in Fig. 2. Notches I6' in theterminal legs frictionally engage the wall of the housing. Inasmuchas'the grooves I2 are deeper than the grooves II, ther thickness ofmetal in the contact arms I5 builds up the depth of the groove untiltheedges ofthe grooved arms I5 are ilush with theA bottom of the recessand the grooves in the arm are of thesame depth as the grooves II. y

A'plurality of rolling contacts I8, which take the form of ballbearings, cooperate with the grooves I I and the grooved arms I5. One ofthe ball bearings is disposed on each side of the contral slot I3 andthe bearings are interconnected by means of a flexible spring slidermember I9 which is provided with anged openings 20 at each end adaptedto receive the ball bearings. The flanges of the openings 20 provide araceway for each of the ball bearing contacts and hold the bearings inassembled position. The slider member spans thedistance between theApairs of grooves and causes the ball bearing contacts to move inunison. A central slot 2I is formed in the slider member and is adaptedto coact with an operating arm 22.

21 and the top of the housing and functions to close the recess III, toprovide a completely enclosed switch mechanism. The plate is pro. videdwith an opening 3| to .receive the collar ange 26 and with oppositelydisposed recesses 32 in which the clamping arms 28 are seated.

The koperating member. 22 is connected to thev slider member I9 by atang 33 which rests in the central slot 2 I. On each side of the tang 33the operating member is provided with a curvededge 34 which engages the'top surface of theslider member. The lengthof the operating member 22,depending from the pivot point 25, is so pro`- portioned that theiiexible resilient slider element I9 is flexed or bent downwardly asshown in Fig. 2, to exert a compressive forceupon the ball bearingcontacts and maintain a rm con tact between' them and the contact armsI5.

It will be seen from Fig. 2 that as the operating member 22 is moved toand fro by means of the switch handle that the resilient slider memberwill be flexed to a greater degree as the operating member passes overdead 'center thereby l increasing the pressure upon the ball bearingcontacts so that as the tang moves the slider from side to side the ballbearings will roll up the side of the one groove and be Asnapped overinto the adjacent groove by the increased compression in the resilientslider. As'the operating member is rocked to and fro the arcuate edges34roll or pivot upon the upper surface of the slider member therebydepressing the slider and accomplishing a smooth and quick snap-actionof the switch as the slider is moved longitudinally by the tang 33seated in the slot 2 I. The end of the tang projecting below the slidermoves freely in the slot I3.

In the position shown by Fig. 2, the switch is on and current flows fromone of the terminal The operating member or arm 22 of insulating 55 legsthrough the corresponding ball bearing con- Aiiber4 www,

tact and then through the slider I9 to the other ball bearingcontact-and terminal leg. By moving the switch handle to the right theball bearing contacts are snapped over intothe grooves Il formed in theinsulated base thereby placing the switch in oi position. Due to theIact that the ball bearings ride up the sides of the grooved contactarms l under the movement of the operating member, it will be seen thatthe slider is iiexed considerably; at the same time the flexible slidermember is tensioned or iiexed further by movement of the operatingmembertoward dead center, so that as the bearing contacts reach the topof the grooved contact arms they snap over into the adjacent grooves Il,as the slider moves longitudinally, thereby releasing the fiexurestresses in the slider and causing the switch quickly to assume its newposition. This action gives a quick break of the circuit through theswitch.

By the construction described a quick-break switch is provided whichembodiesrelatively few parts and which may be easily and quicklyassembled. 'Ihe exible slider and operating arm provide a simple and'improved means for operating the ball bearing roller contacts.

What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a switch structure, an insulated housing having a recess therein,spaced pairs of grooves in said recess, a grooved contact in one grooveof each pair, a flexible slider element longitudinally movable in saidrecess and having a anged opening in each end, a ball bearing contactseated in each of said openings and each cooperating with a groovedcontact respectively, and operating means connected to said slider formoving it longitudinally to position said ball bearing contactsV eitherin said grooved contacts or in the grooves in said recess to close oropen said switch, said operating means exing said slider as it is movedlongitudinally to provide a quickmake and break of said switch.

2. In a switch structure, a housing oi insulated material, spaced pairsof grooves in said housing, a grooved contact in one groove of eachpair, a exible slider longitudinally movable and having a flangedopening in each end, a ball bearing contact seated in each of saidopenings and cooperating with said grooved contacts and an operating armpivotally mounted on said housing and and having a tang engaging saidslot for moving said slider longitudinally to position said ball bearingcontacts either in said grooved contacts ate edges on each side or saidtang for engaging the surfaces of said ilexible slider to ilex it as itis moved longitudinally oi' the housing and thereby providing a quickmake and break of said switch.

4. In a device of the class described, a housing of insulating materialhaving a recess therein, spaced pairs of grooves in said recess. asubstantially L-shaped contact having a. grooved arm in one groove ofeach pair and having a terminal portion extending beyond the confines ofsaid recess, a exible slider longitudinally movable in said recess andhaving a flanged opening in each end, a ball bearing contact seated ineach of said openings and each cooperating with a grooved contact arm,and an operating member 4rnunted in said housing and having a tangconted to said slider for moving said slider longitudinally to positionsaid ball bearing contacts either in said grooved contact arms or in thegrooves in said recess to close or open said switch, said operatingmeans having arcuate sur-l faces on each side of said tang for engagingthe surface of said slider to flex it as it is moved longitudinally-toprovide a quick make and break of said switch mechanism.

5. In a switch structure, an insulated housing having a recess therein,spaced pairs of grooves in said recess, a grooved contact in one groovein each pair, a flexible slider element longitudinally movable in saidrecess, a rolling contact mounted on opposite ends of said slider andeach cooperating with a grooved contact respectively, and operatingmeans connected to said slider for moving it longitudinally to positionsaid "roller contacts either in said grooved contacts or in the groovesin said recess to close or open said switch, said operating meansiiexing said slider as it is moved longitudinally to provide a quickmake and break or said switch.

6. In a deviceof the class described, a housing or insulating material,spaced pairs of grooves in said housing, a grooved contact in onegroovev of each pair, a ilexible slider movable longitudinally in saidhousing having a centrally disposed engaging said slider for moving itlongitudinally to position said ball bearing contacts either in saidgrooved contacts or in the grooves in said housing to open or close saidswitch, said operating arm exing said slider as it is movedlongitudinally -to provide a quick make and break of said switch. .y

3. In a device of the class described, a housing of insulating material,spaced pairs of grooves in said housing, a grooved contact in one grooveof each-pair, a flexible slider movable longitudinally in said housingand having a iianged opening in each end and a centrally disposed slot,a ball bearing in each of said openings and cooperating with s'aidgrooved contacts and an operating handle pivotally mounted in saidhousing slot, contact means including rolling contacts at each end ofsaid slider, said contacts cooperating with said grooved contacts, andan operating handle pivotally mounted in said housing and having a tangengaging said slot for moving said slider longitudinally to positionsaid rolling contacts either in said grooved contacts' or in the groovesin said housing to close or open said switch, said operating memberhaving arcuate edges on each side of said tang for engaging thesurace ofsaid flexible slider to flex it as it is Ymoved longitudinally of .thehousing and thereby providing a quick make and break of said switch.

FRANK D. BRYANT. WILLIAM R. YOUNG.

